Electric organ operating by means of electrode valves



May 30, 1933. E, E. COUPLEUX ET AL ELECTRIC ORGAN OPERATING BY MEANS OF ELECTRODE VALVES Filed June 50, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l Ocfave i y 1933- E. E. COUPLEUX ET AL 1,911,309

ELECTRIC ORGAN OPERATING BY MEANS OF ELECTRODE VALVES Filed June 30, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet ,2

1 E FWE 1% 3 lbw- May 30, 1933. E. E. COUPLEUX ET AL 1,911,309

ELECTRIC ORGAN-OPERATING BY MEANS OF ELECTRODE VALVES Filed June 30, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 m v Ira 6212226 Edam/2i l7 $140162,

y 1933- E. E. COUPLEUX ET AL 1,911,309

ELECTRIC ORGAN OPERATING BY MEANS OF ELECTRODE VALVES 7 Filed June 30, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @K/MM 5M,

Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDOUARD ELOI OOUPLEUX AND JOSEPH ARMANI) GIVELET, OF LILLE,

FRANCE ELECTRIC ORGAN OPERATING BY MEANS OF ELECTRODE VALVES Application filed June 30, 1931, Serial No.

It is a known fact that musical sounds can be produced by means of oscillationsof musical frequency in oscillating circuits, which are put in use by the operation of keys. The great difficulty in obtaining simultaneous sounds consists in avoiding interference between the harmonics, but if it is further desired to obtain all the variations of playing, shading, and the like, as in a pipe-organ, particular, combinations must be used, and chiefly if the number of loudspeakers is to be reduced.

The present invention relates to part 1c ular arrangements of oscillating circuits, with electrode valves and various controlling and regulating devices for the obtainment of all the operating features of a pipe organ. The principle employed consists in the use of a valve for each note and for one key, and all the notes of the same kind in each octave (or in each group of notes of the keyboard divided into like groups) are connectedto a common circuit, each circuit leading to an amplifier and then to a loud-speaker. For the keyboard divided into octaves, including the accidental notes, there will thus be 12 circuits and 12 loud-speakers.

If only a single powerful loud-speaker is to be used, each of the 12 circuits is connected to a unit primary of a transformer having a single secondary which is connected to a powerful amplifier and loudspeaker.

A given valve may be further arranged so as to produce several notes at will, for instance by mounting in a grid circuit of a valve having one or more grids, a capacity shunted by a high resistance, which is normally in short-circuit when the valve gives the normal note, but will be put in operation by another key, suitable precautions being taken to avoid untuning the valve.

With valves having several grids, it is possible to use auxiliary grids to obtain a i certain impedance of the circuits in order 547,982, and in France November 15, 1980.

to produce the proper variations without affecting the purity of the note.

The transposition of an entire keyboard (the organ may have several of these) or of a group of notes, is obtained by a movable element carrying strips of soft iron or like devices for the electric control of the parts of the circuits, such as the self-induction coils. This will constitute a vox celesta with beats which are regulated at the de sired rate by the action of the movable element.

Changes of tone quality may be obtained by suitable means acting upon the number and quality of the harmonics, but preferably by electro-magnetic saturation of the iron of the transformers or of the loud-speakers of the excitation type. In fact, when a core is saturated, harmonics will appear in the circuit of the windings on the said core.

The volume of sound is regulated by groups of notes, byseparating or bringin together, in the transformer affected by the group, the multiple primaries cooperating with the single secondary, thus changing the induction effects. With a suitable resistance which is put in use at the proper time, the 1 sonority of the pedal'notes will be proportioned to the notes of the keyboard.

In order to obtain an easy and regulated attack of the note, a loud-speaker of the excitation type is used, and the valve sends the exciting current with a certain delay with reference to the supply of musical currents to the said movable element.

To avoid impact in the loud-speaker, the key with its contacts may be placed in the filament circuit of the valve, when the key sends the heating current, the calorific inertia of the filament produces the note more smoothly than if the key is in the circuit of the grid or the plate. The extra current of rupture is avoided by using a high resistance in shunt, which operates the valve at a low voltage, or by using a capacity.

If the key is used with the grid or the plate, the cracking sound of the diaphragm can be prevented by means of contacts of the proper character and form, which will put the oscillating circuit in operation, or in short-circuit during the periods of silence, and thus the plate circuit is never broken.

The said contacts, as well as all the others of the apparatus, are preferably operated by electro-magnetic relays. The rate of opening or closing of the circuit will thus be independent of the action of the fingers upon the keys. It will be determined in advance by the exciting current, so as to produce the best result, to prevent the cracking sound and to give the absolute efi'ectof a pipe-organ.

Shading of sound is obtained by fixed or adjustable resistances, put in by the keys, which can optionally regulate the same, thus affording all desired shading for a given note or group of notes.

The accompanying drawings show by way of example various embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of a typical octave of the organ.

Fig. :2 shows the arrangement of another octave.

Fig. 3 relates to the use of an amplifier and a loud-speaker per circuit.

Fig. at indicates the use of a single loudspeaker for the organ.

Fig. 5 relates to a modified arrangement with a single loud speaker.

Fig. 6 shows the arrangement of a valve producing two different notes.

Figs. 7 and 8 relate to arrangements of a two-grid valve.

Fig. 9 represents a transposing device.

Fig. 10 relates to the regulating of the attack by the loud-speaker.

Fig. 11 indicates the regulating of the volume of sound.

Figs. 12 and 13 show the control of shading by the key.

Fig. 1 (the organ being divided into octaves) shows a typical octave, for instance 1. Each note has its lamp or valve L its oscillating circuit C, its key T with the contact sending the musical current into the circuit F. Each note, do, do sharp, re etc., has its circuit. An adjustable laminated iron core serves to tune each oscillating circuit.

Any one of the other octaves (Fig. 2), with its valve L its keys T, etc., is connected to the circuits of the said typical octave. The circuits F (Fig. 3) each end at a coupling transformer, with amplifier a and loud-speaker d.

Fig. 4 shows a single transformer T1 having multiple primaries and a single secondary S connected to an amplifier L provided with its prolarizing battery B and the owerful loud-speaker -D adapted to repro uce all the notes of the organ.

Fig. 5 shows an arrangement with filters b in the plate circuit in order to stop off all harmonics subject to interference. The grids have a common return wire to the heating battery P. The unit primaries c are connected to the pole of the plate battery,and they are calculated and tested in such manner that when taking account of the leakage inductance of the transformer and of the capacities distributed in the windings, there will be opposed a high impedance to the harmonics without weakening the fundamental note, thus preventing interference between harmonics, which is a source of beats and humming of a disagreeable nature at low frequencies.

In Fig. 6, the valve L is arranged so as to produce two different notes. In the grid circuit is a capacity E shunted by a high resistance R which is normally short-circuited by the bar M of a key T, brought back by a spring. When the key T is lowered, the bar M connects the pole of the plate battery P to the neutral point of a resistance K in shunt upon P.

The key T ives the normal note of the valve the grid being negatively polarized and the circuit C being put in use by the contact of the key T. If the player acts upon T instead of T, the capacity n and the resistance R will act upon the grid, which produces the effect of the' singing lamp. bince R might untune the lamp, its action is compensated by depolarizing the grid by means of the bar M.

This combination can be made with a valve having several grids which gives the principal note and as many different notes, at will, as there are grids. One may also use multi-grid valves in order to obtain several notes of different pitches and quality, optionally starting from the same oscillation.

Fig. 7 shows a two-grid valve, with the second grid connected to the plate through a capaclty 0 and an adjustable resistance 1' serving to vary the tonality without being used in the circuits.

In Fig. 8, the two-grid valve L is mounted in such manner that one collects the sounds by the second grid with the output transformer 71. This affords a certain independence of the circuits and variations of impedance of the circuit C which will not affect the pitch of the note.

In the transposing device (F ig. 9) a fixed frame M carries a winding 8 with core 71, for each note. A member G is slidable upon two rods t t which are under mechanical or electrical control. It carries strips I cooperating with the cores n, more or less affecting the windings 8 according to their relative position, thus acting upon the tonality of the circuits, as proportioned by the movements of Gobtained for instance by a pedal.

Fig. 10 shows the means for regulating the action by a loud-speaker of the excitation type. The key T controls a contact al which is separated by I from the contact d for closing the plate circuit and sending musical currents into the operative part El of the loud-speaker E of the excitation type, coming from a battery B The circuit of the loud speaker E is closed by d after al and an adjustable self-induction coil S serves to proportion this delay in sending current into the loud speaker E, which latter, when not excited, leaves the loud-speaker without sound.

The regulating of the volume of sound in each group of notes is effected by their transformer (Fig. 11). A core H movable about its axis XY carries multiple polepieces 1, 2, etc. which are herein of a double cross-shape at each end, as well as a single secondary S. Fixed armatures with polepieces 9. cooperating with 1, 2 etc., carry the primary unit parts e (the drawings show only one of these armatures). When H rotates, 1-2 etc. take adjustable positions with reference to 2 etc., thus varying the effects of induction and hence the volume of sound of the group. The core H is controlled by any suitable means, using if necessary a dial with its stationary mark.

Fig. 12 shows a method of regulating the shading or expression by lowering the key T which is pivoted at a. It controls a rheostat Q, preferably circular, which is branched at a suitable point of the sound circuit; Q, is controlled at its end (shown by the dotted lines, optionally with speed-reduction by toothed sector, or by a pedal W which can be acted upon by all the keys of a group by a member Z. The more the key is lowered, the more the resistance will be affected.

Fig. 13 shows the use of fixed resistances 1 which are placed in the circuit by the plates 9 of the key. Switches controlled by the player serve to place in position the resistance corresponding to a shade of tone. This is applicable to a note or a group of notes and the parts (such as those of Fig. 12) are situated at any suitable points on the instrument.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:

1. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, lamps with multiple grids affording several notes, a capacity in the grid circuit of the valves, and a high resistance shunting said capacity.

2. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve for each note and one key for each Valve, a keyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, said Valves having multiple grids, and means for regulating the notes while maintaining the independence of the circuits by the additional grids.

3. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve for each note and one key for each valve, a keyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, a transposing apparatus for each group including a movable frame carrying soft iron strips, and a fixed frame carrying the self-induction coils of the circuits of the group.

4. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve for each note and one key for each valve, a keyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, transformers and loud speakers in said circuits having windings providing for the magnetic saturation.

5. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve for each note and one key for each valve, a keyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, a transformer having a single secondary winding and multiple primary windings, said transformer including fixed armaturcs carrying the transformer primary windings, and a core provided with a plurality of pole pieces movable before said fixed armatures and carrying the transformer single secondary winding.

6. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve for each note and one key for each valve, akeyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, a loud speaker of the excitation type, and means in the circuit for sending the exciting currents into the loud speaker with a certain delay.

7 In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve for each note and one key for each valve, a keyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, contact means for placing the circuit in operation, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, a contact included in the heating circuit of the valve filament, and a key for operating said contact.

8. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve foreach note and one key for each valve, a keyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, contacts for placing the circuits in operation, and electro-magnetic relays for controlling said contacts.

9. In an electric organ operating by means of electrode valves, one valve for each note and one key for each valve, a keyboard divided into similar groups, circuits to which are connected all the notes of the same name in each group, and resistances adjustable in said circuits and operated by the keys.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

EDOUARD ELOI COUPLEUX. JOSEPH ARMAND GIVELET. 

